Gueye and Keane find the net as Everton overcome the Cottagers

David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as the visitors demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were subdued all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

The striker believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford saved well with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.